1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a haptic interface device, and more particularly to an apparatus capable of providing various types of operational sensations such as a sense of resistance that can be obtained when operating an interface apparatus, or operational sensations of various interface apparatuses such as a joystick and toggle switch through a single operating member.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electric and electronic devices typically contain interface components such as toggle switches, jog dials, and sliding switches, for switching device functions or issuing instructions to the devices. Information devices may also have interfaces such as a typical joystick or track ball. These interface apparatuses are designed to use the restitution force of an elastic material such as a spring or rubber to provide an operational sensation to an operator in order to help the operator perceive that switching of functions of these devices and instructions provided to them have been properly input.
However, these methods in which such an elastic material is used inherently has the problem that an intended reaction force cannot be provided due to degradation of or damage to the elastic material or its supporting portion which is caused by a pressure inevitably exerted on an operating section by the operator.
Furthermore, recent electric and electronic devices have increasingly sophisticated and complicated functions. Consequently, not all the functions are provided on their operation panel. Therefore, more than one function is assigned to a single switch and the function is selected by switching of mode. However, the switch operated does not necessarily provide an operator with an optimum operational feeling for indicating to the operator that the function switching has bee performed. Another problem is that operational feeling of interface apparatuses is traded off for more sophisticated and complicated functionality. For example, interface apparatuses that provide no operational feeling, such as touch panels, are used.
In order to solve these problems, a number of inventions have been made. For example, a technology has been disclosed in which a rotating knob-type operating section can be moved horizontally to select a function while force feedback control is being applied to the knob in its rotation direction to provide the operator an operational sensation corresponding to the function (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-109558). In another technology, the degree-of-freedom of an operating section that can move in three axes, x, y, and z, is restricted according to a function selected by using a voice instruction in order to make the selection of the function easier to perceive (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 9-244866). Yet another technology has been disclosed in which a touch panel itself is vibrated to present a click feeling to the operator in order to make an operation on the touch panel easier to perceive (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 10-293644).
However, the technologies disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publications No. 2002-109558 and No. Hei 9-244866 both control rotation directions to provide operational sensations. Therefore, although rotational operability is possibly improved, no other operational feelings can be provided for operations such as horizontal and vertical movement and pointing to a position on a screen.
The technology disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 10-293644 has the effect of providing a click sensation accompanying a switching operation on the touch panel to improve the operability. However, it is extremely difficult to apply the technology to an interface in which an operating section is moved to perform switching and control operations.